Unconventional
by CentaurWatch
Summary: It s the Golden Age. The Pevensies rule Narnia and there s a new face around ,nobody knows where she is from or why Aslan crowned her as Queen, Peter just knows that she is making the whole castle go mad at her oddities. Edmund/OC R&R!
1. I Think I ll Stay with the Apple

**Chapter 1: I think I´ll stay with the Apple **

The tea cups rattled along with the walls of the castle, interrupting the breakfast of the Kings and Queens.

Neither of them seem fazed by the small explosion, they had gotten used to them over the years.

"What do you reckon she is doing this time?" asked King Peter as he reached for another scone.

"No idea, she never confides the object of her studies with me," Queen Lucy said, taking a quick look at the door hoping not to see smoke entering from the corridor or one of the guards announcing that one of the wings of the castle was on fire.

"Does she ever tell someone?" Peter asked raising his eyebrows.

As soon as the words left Peter´s lips both Queens turned too looked at their second brother knowingly.

A look that Edmund decided to ignore.

"This is starting to become a vexation, For aught I know, she is going to blow the castle one of this days," Queen Sussan said with annoyance.

"Don't be so peevish," Edmund said calmly as he took a sip from his cup "If she actually wanted to blow the castle, she would already have done so."

Peter and Lucy chuckled at their brother´s statement, just reaffirming the hard lines on Susan´s face as she offered a hard look to her siblings.

It was no secret that Susan didn't approve of Isabel´s ways, as most, if not all of the council members did.

"When a mishap comes to pass, remember that I warned you," she said with a grim face.

" Oh Pish, pash Sussan, lets enjoy our breakfast, this morning we have a council meeting with the elders," said Peter with a small smile.

Susan resumed her eating quietly, making Edmund grin as he took an apple, he gave it a bite, letting the sweet juice dance in his mouth for a while before swallowing.

"I should get going, there are some…matters that need my attention before the meeting," Edmund said rising from the table, he playfully threw the apple up in the air and cached it with his right hand before giving it another bite and exiting the room.

"I bet he is going downstairs, " said Peter once he was sure his brother was out of hearing distance

"There´s no need for that Peter," said Lucy with a knowing smile "I warrant it."

The echoes of his steps resonated through the corridors, usually this wing of the castle was always deserted, the servants had learned to not wander around it and leave the unconventional Queen to her doings, the maids were especially wary of the place after some of them had come across some frozen eye balls and a severed hand that had been part of a study she had been making at the time, that particular experiment was still a mystery to him, contrary to his sister´s belief, she didn´t told him absolutely everything.

He didn´t bother knocking for she never heard when he did so, and if she happened to hear she would simply ignore it.

The Queen´s laboratory was one of Edmund´s favorite rooms of the whole castle, whenever he was sure that he was not going to be roughly kicked out, he would visit the place.

He opened the door slightly, making sure to not make that much noise.

The vast room was divided in different sections. there were rows after rows filled with bookcases that ranged of different topics most of them being on biology, physics, astronomy and mathematics. There were two large desks filled with her personal manuscripts, some filled with notes of her latest studies and others with precise and complicated designs of her last inventions, there was a third and smaller desk where she kept the work related to her monarch duties.

There was a vast amount of work tables filled with her ongoing projects, while her finished ones were stored in an adjacent room.

She was hunched over one of the working tables a dense cloud of smoke looming over her head, her wavy dark chocolate hair was let down for a change.

"Out," she said not taking her eyes of her work, her voice was soft yet commanding.

"Hallo, to you as well Isabel," Edmund said in a lively tone, quite used to her temperament.

"Out Edmund," she said once more, this time leaving the smoking vessel to one side to stare at him with her vivid brown eyes.

"That was a good and nice explosion, it made our tea cups rattle," he said with an amused grin.

"You are not leaving, are you?"

"No."

"Then… I´m glad that it made your morning less mundane," she said while giving him her back once more as she got back to her work.

Edmund smiled "So, what are you working on?"

"Something that could make the worst nightmares come to life," she told him making some notes in the parchment that was next to her vessel.

"Why would you do something like that?" Edmund inquired, now certainly interested in the strange concoction that was producing so much steam and making Isabel´s hair hazy.

She let out a small sigh "I´m bored, and got nothing else to do," besides the idea of testing this in our High Monarch is viciously tempting…" she said with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Is that a formal declaration of treachery against the High King?" he asked with an amused raised eyebrow.

"No, it´s a formal declaration for you to refrain from his majesty´s personal tea pot for the next few days," she paused for a moment "May I see your apple for a moment?"

Edmund eyed his already bitten apple and handed it to her silently, he had learned to not question her much.

Isabel took the red apple and turned it between her white, silky fingers, for a moment Edmund thought she was going to give it a bite, but then she threw it directly towards his head, it was a good thing that he was an apt swordsman for he had fast reflexes and easily ducked the flying apple.

"What was that for? You could have hit me!" he exclaimed a little outraged.

She smiled "Get out, now! Next time I´ll throw you something that will be harder to elude and probably more dangerous than an apple."

Edmund gulped "I think I´ll stay with the apple…" he said below his breath looking at the different objects that where in the Queen´s working table that she could easily throw at his head and that would certainly be more dangerous than an apple (all the prospects where quite scary).

"We have court meeting in ten minutes, try not to miss this one, Susan will be on a rampage if you skip another meeting," he said starting to make his way towards the door.

"hmmmm," she said slowly, telling him she was no longer paying attention to his words

"And, Isabel," he said pausing at the door.

"hmmmm," she muttered once more.

"Don't give Peter anything…anything dangerous, please."

He could see her cheeks rising a bit from the smile she was probably wearing at the moment.

"We´ll see about that…now, get out!"

Edmund had not to be told twice as he saw her reach for another thing to throw at him, he closed the door behind him and walked down the hall once more, he would come down later to inspect that strange substance she was working on more closely.

-0-0-0-

_**A/N: Well there you have it, chapter 1. **_

_**This is my first Narnia fic after reading tons of it :) I hope you enjoyed it, as much as I did writing it. Let me know what you think of it and if you would like to see some more, as well if there is something you consider I could improve on. **_

_**Thanks for reading! **_

_**-CW**_


	2. She Can Be Quite Scrape Sometimes

**Chapter 2: She Can Be Quite Scrape Sometimes**

The mixture she had been working since morning finally reached its boiling point, Isabel quickly scribbled down some notes in the parchment next to her; Edmund was always teasing her about her handwriting, as it was what you would call messy and practically illegible.

She turned the fire down and let the brew to repose, she would have to wait some six hours before she could actually test its efficiency.

In the mean time she would have to find something else to entertain herself.

The grandfather clock in the corner announced the hour, making her frown, she hadn't realized a whole hour had passed already since the Just King had come to interrupt her.

She stood up and walked to her third desk where on top of a pile of reports and royal parchments laid a small list of the points to be treated during the meeting that was currently taking place.

All of them seemed quite boring and irrelevant. None was worth of her time, until she glanced at the last point on the list.

-000-

The meeting had started one hour or so ago and Edmund couldn't see the end of it. He had been half expecting Isabel to come to the meeting, then he would certainly be entertained watching her banter with the elders and council members and getting on his older sister´s nerves. But her absence was not a surprise, she would rarely leave the confines of her laboratory to attend council meetings, he should have known better, he should have faked a headache and stayed at his own study doing some actual work.

The maple doors opened to reveal the missing Queen, Edmund had to bite his tongue to stop himself from laughing, her hair was even messier since he had sawed her, it had grown so hazy and bushy that it seemed it had acquired a life of its own, he considered the insane thought for a moment, you could never be sure when Isabel was involved.

But apparently he was the only one that found it amusing for the rest was looking at her with bewilderment and disapproval.

"Queen Isabel, it´s-it's quite a pleasure to see you join us in this fine morning, you look quite… l-lovely today," said one of the elders that had been directing the meeting.

"Speculative adulation won't take you anywhere, Lord Baltimore," said the Queen taking her respective seat next to Edmund "I know I'm looking far from lovely at the moment, but that is completely irrelevant."

Edmund couldn't help but grin at the look of utter shock and annoyance of Lord Baltimore, his face had turned all shades of red.

"My deepest apologies, my Queen," said Lord Baltimore with a forceful bow.

"Never mind, please reassume the meeting."

Lord Baltimore cleared his throat and resumed the meeting´s topic that had been interrupted by the Queen´s entrance.

Susan was glaring disapprovingly at her, which only made Isabel smile in a way she considered innocent (though in Edmund´s personal opinion it was far from it.)

She then proceeded to close her eyes; the only indication that she was still awake was the slight drumming of her fingers over her right hand. Eventually Edmund started to doze off once again, he was not in the slightest interested in hearing about the new betrothed couples of the Narnian nobility and of its neighboring countries.

The topics soon changed and were directed to more serious matters, watching from the corner of his eyes Edmund could see that Isabel was listening closely, the drumming of her fingers had stopped and even if she still had her eyes closed and looked as if she was trying to take a quick kip, it was obvious to him that she was quite interested in the argument at hand.

"…Many of the farmers that live near the southern lands have brought the issue that their crops are dying, the weather hasn't been favorable, and the rain hasn't graced their lands for some weeks now and their rivers are going dry. It seems a draught has taken behold of the place and the farmers fear a famine," Lord de Bans was stating as he read from the parchment through his half moon spectacles.

"Do we have enough grains in storage to sustain them?" inquired the High King.

"I believe we do, Your Majesty," Lord Gillain answered, looking through his reports.

"The only problem would be, that the reserves for the winter would diminish greatly," King Edmund said, feeling less drowsy than before, now having an actual topic to discuss.

"But if we have enough grains as last year, I don´t see what the problem would be," Interjected Lucy.

"we should try to seek for an actual solution for them, not simply send them some grains," Isabel said after opening her eyes for a change.

"I suppose you have a suggestion, then?" Queen Susan asked still irritated at her from her previous disturbance.

"I might have one, or two, yes."

Edmund cleared his throat feeling the tension start to build up between his older sister and Isabel, most of the time he would just lay back and let himself be entertained by their never ending bickering, but he felt that at the moment it was needed of them to come with a proper resolution for the problem at hand.

"I believe Isabel has a point," he started "I propose that an investigative party should be assembled and sent to the south to analyze the situation more closely, they should take enough rations with them for the villages in the area as well," Edmund said with his deep voice, his tone was gentle yet it had a commanding edge to it.

Slow murmurs erupted trough the room as everyone discussed their views on Edmund´s proposition, some seemed to agree with the King while others thought it was quite unnecessary to send a party just to_ "analyze the situation more closely" _.

Soon everyone stopped their whispering as High King Peter made notions for everyone to become quiet.

"It should be done as King Edmund has suggested," Peter started, then he turned to look at his own brother "Would you be willing to lead this party?"

Edmund simply made a small nod, accepting.

Lord Baltimore started to gather his papers getting ready to declare the meeting as finished "In that case-" he started to say before he was roughly interrupted.

"I wish to go as well," Isabel said quickly.

"What?" Susan suddenly said as her older brother had become quite silent pondering the matter over "Don't tell me you are actually considering this?"

"Peace, Queen Susan," Peter replied calmly.

Susan´s face glared red, she was about to make another comment when she felt Lucy´s hand on hers.

She looked back at her sister whose eyes where telling her to stay composed. Susan let out a sigh and did as her sister had suggested, making Lucy smile slightly.

"Very well, you should go as well," Peter finally said.

"Thank you," Isabel said simply with a small nod.

-000-

Later in the evening, King Peter sat quietly behind his desk as he saw his sister walk to and fro through his study.

"Why don't you take a seat?" he offered signaling to one of the chairs.

"I´m fine," Susan said stubbornly "I just….why did you allowed her to go?" she said suddenly stopping her pacing to glance at him "Every time she has gone out of this castle, she misbehaves and leaves us all in ridicule!"

"Don´t exaggerate, it hasn't been every single time," he reasoned.

"Do you remember when she went to visit King Lune?" Susan started to say "Everyone was speechless when she refused to dine with the King at the banquet he had prepared in the honor of her arrival, for she had _better things to do at the time_, and all she did was play with her potions_._"

Peter´s face started to burn red of embarrassment as he remembered that specific incident.

"Well, fine, it is true that she can be… quite scrape sometimes," Peter said making a small pause "But it´s been quite a time since she has done aught of the like, she is not as rebellious and indiscreet as when she had just arrived here."

Susan let out a big sigh as she took seat in one of the chairs. "Don´t you…don't you ever wonder why He brought her here? She does nothing but bring us trouble," Susan asked him in a hushed tone, truth be told she felt uneasy to question His judgment, but when it came down to _her_, she couldn't help it.

Peter chuckled "I would know that, as it seems I´m her favorite subject when it comes to test her inventions," he said trying to light the atmosphere, "But Aslan must have his reasons to have brought her here, and we shall respect them," he said with a slight smile. "Think of it this way: Isabel is quite apt at botany and geology which are one of Ed´s weakest sciences, if she goes with him, I´m certain that she will help to find a solution quicker and Edmund shall be back with us sooner."

Susan heaved a sigh, which made her older brother smile knowing he had won her over.

"In that case, I should better get going," Susan said rising from her seat, she couldn't argue against the idea of having her brother back home sooner. "I´ll go and help Edmund with his luggage, I know if I leave him to do it on his own, he is going to wait until tomorrow night and forget to pack the essentials," she said shaking her head with hilarity.

"Sue, the boy is already a young man, allow him to grow up," Peter said smiling tenderly at Susan´s motherly nature.

"As if I didn't help you with yours," she replied teasingly, arching an eyebrow.

Queen Susan left the study, leaving a blushing and quite embarrassed High King behind.

-000-

**A/N: Thank you _SarcamIsTheBestDefense _and to the other two people that reviwed last chapter, it was greatly apreciated. **

**I know this chapter can be a little boring as most of it was the council meeting, but I hope that either way you were able to enjoy it. Please if you feel that any of the characters are becoming to OCC I would apreacite a heads up, I try to stay true to the characters from the books but it can be difficult sometimes. I´ll be more than happy to hear your thoughts about the chapter so review if you feel like it. **

**Thanks for reading!**

**-CW **


	3. Smelling The Rat

**Chapter 3: Smelling The Rat**

Edmund sat in his four poster bed, wrapped in his bed sheets trying to keep his bare chest covered from the eyes of his older sister.

"Couldn´t we do this later?" he asked through a yawn, his voice sounded huskier than usual as he had just risen.

"No," said Susan sternly as she looked through the many drawers and the mahoganey wardrobe looking for the appropriate pieces of clothing that Edmund should take with him in his journey "As you were weary last night, you promised that we would arrange your luggage first thing in the morning," she said folding a scarlet tunic and laying it gently in the bottom of the half empty trunk.

"Exactly, I said in the morning and it´s not even day break yet," the sleepy King reasoned "Can I please go back to sleep?"

"No."

Being too tired to actually listen to his sister, Edmund allowed himself to get comfortable in his bed once again just as he had been before his sister had barged into his chambers and rudely woke him up.

"You can´t go back to sleep," Susan said shaking him up and trying to untangle Edmund´s frame from the several bed sheets that he had managed to wind around him.

"hmmphh," he moaned in discomfort not liking the cold breeze that was starting to seep through his covers as Susan was peeling one by one his many layers. "Oi! , don't do that, Sue!" he exclaimed in a brink getting himself upright trying to get his covers back in place, he might had been quite sleepy but not enough to not care that his sister saw him half naked.

"Good, you are awake again, now, where do you keep your trousers?" Susan asked placing her hands in her hips, making her look quite alike to her own mother.

"Top drawer at the left, "said Edmund with a huff, he wasn´t a morning person, he liked waking up till mid morning if possible, but he usually forced himself to be up at eight to be able to fulfill his monarch duties, but, to be up at half past five in the morning was just insane.

"Why are you packing that?" he asked moments later when he saw Susan folding one of his winter cloaks.

"It can be quite cold during the nights; I don't want you to catch a cold," Susan said placing the coat on top of several tunics.

"We are making the expedition because there is a draught on the land, I´m certain I won't be in needs of one," he standing up still enveloped in his covers taking the coat out of the trunk and hanging in back in the wardrobe.

"You are taking a coat Edmund Pevensie, and a scarf as well," Susan took the coat once more and placed it back with the rest of his luggage just to go rummage between his belongings once again to search for said scarf.

"I can´t do this without a cup of tea," said Edmund tiredly, not feeling in the mood to be looking through clothes and debating with his sister about the impracticality of taking winter clothes during the summer , he picked up one of his white linen shirts and made his way to his private bathroom to change.

"Don´t take too long Edmund," said Susan watching her brother go.

"Sure," he replied nonchalantly.

-000-

The servants and cooks had been quite surprised when they had saw The King enter the kitchen so early in the morning, many of them were preparing the dough to make bread, while others were out gathering fresh eggs from the chickens.

"Your Highness, may I help you?" Asked one of the maids, he knew her name to be Grace, he had seen her around the castle and he was certain she was the one that always left a steaming tea pot by his bedside before he raised for the day, even if he had actually never asked for it.

"Morning, Grace," he said with a polite smile "I would greatly appreciate if you could help me find some tea leaves."

"Of course Your Highness," she said with a small bow "Do you wish for me to take the tea back at your room?"

"That´s very kind, but today I feel like preparing my own tea, I just need help with the tea leaves."

"As you wish, sir," said the young girl as she took out of one of the kitchen cabinets a small canister containing the King´s favorite tea.

Edmund smiled thankfully to her accepting the canister, he found a tea kettle and place it in the fire to boil some water, he then pre-heated the vessel, he remembered his mother telling him to do so to prevent the steeping water from dropping it´s temperature as soon as it was poured. He placed the loose leafs on the bottom of the tea pot, that´s how he liked to prepare his tea, for the taste became richer that way, he then added the hot water and poured himself a cup. He gave his farewells to the kitchen servants and decided it was time to go back before Susan packed half of the clothes he owned for such a short trip.

-000-

He was going back to his chambers, drinking his earl gray tea; it was smokey and fragrant, he found the spicy citrus flavor quite enjoyable and refreshing. Half a tea pot of earl grey was always what helped him to fully wake up on mornings.

He made a turn, the soft crimson carpet muffling the sound of his steps, when he catched a glimpse of a certain Queen sliding her way into the High King´s study; even from where he was standing he could smell the rat.

Edmund left his cup and tea pot on one of the tables of the corridor and decided to go after her, he pushed slightly the door that she had left half open and entered the study.

Isabel was with a small vial on her hands, it´s contents seemed quite familiar… with a small dropper she was mixing the beverage of her making with the contents of the High King´s tea pot, she even spiced Peter´s beloved scones with some drops.

"Morning, Edmund," she said quietly as she felt him behind her, not even having the decency of looking guilty at having been caught in her actions. "What are you doing up at this hour?"

"I should be inquiring the same of you," he said with a raised eyebrow.

"I was working downstairs and deemed this precise moment quite a good time to make some field investigation," she said with a small smile.

"Isabel, please tell me that that thing isn't going to make Peter sick," he said eying warily the vial that she had now slipped to the small pocket of her dress.

"Don´t be ridiculous, I would never do such thing to dear King Peter."

He was about to make a comment when she shushed him, the sound of steps and talking was becoming quite stronger with every moment, his eyes opened wide in surprise, he didn't wanted to be found in his brother´s study at this hour and much less when Isabel had done something to his breakfast. She didn't permit him much time to think as she took him by the hand and pulled him to hide with her inside a cabinet.

It was a tight fit, as they both were grown young adults, their shoulders and thighs kept bumping with the others, making Edmund quite uncomfortable but Isabel seemed not to mind.

Soon enough Peter walked into the room, he was already changed and Mr. Tumnus happened to just be behind him.

It was a costume of the High King to get an early start with his duties, he would fall behind in paper work if he didn't woke up early enough to see through the several papers that need his approval and signature, as well as reading over the several reports of the country's doings.

Isabel let the door slightly open, just enough so that there would be a small creak from which they could see what was happening in the study.

"…The horses, and men are ready for their departure tomorrow, sir," said Mr. Tumnus taking a seat in one of the chairs as the High King purred himself a cup of tea.

"It´s good to hear everything is going swiftly, but, lately I´ve been thinking we should send some livestock with the party as well," said Peter taking a seat behind his desk "Some chickens and pigs maybe, so that the villagers don't have to sustain themselves only with grains for the time being."

Peter took a sip from his tea, there was something different about the taste but he couldn´t say exactly what it was, maybe it was that new tea Lucy had gotten from Archland…he gave it another tentative sip, he found he quite liked the taste, maybe even more than the other tea he was used too. He reached for a scone which had just been baked for him, vapor was still coming out of them, he wetted the tip of the scone in his cup, a small habit he had developed over the years, though he only made it in the privacy of his study or bed chambers in fear of being caught by Susan who disapproved of such thing deeming it as _"improper for a King"._

_**ooo**_

"Is he eating?" Isabel asked in a whisper, trying to see through the creak from which Edmund had a better view because of his position.

"Yes, he is. Now, would you care to explain the meaning of all this?"

"It´s nothing you should worry about," she said letting out a small mouse from somewhere in her pocket. The creature walked through her dress and tried to hide in one of the corners of the cabinet. Isabel was positive the little fellow would let himself be seen when the time was right.

"Is that supposed to be a reassuring statement?" Edmund said starting to become irritated, he usually found engaging how Isabel seemed to never say much and keep most of the information to herself. For him, it was a game, a game to see how much he could get her to tell him, but right now, his feet and legs were starting to go numb due to the small space and the awkward position he was being forced to hide in and his patience was starting to run low. "If you don´t tell me, I'll…"

"You what?" she asked rising an eyebrow, as if challenging him to come up with something.

"I´ll get out of this cabinet!" he exclaimed.

_**ooo**_

"Mr. Tumnus, do you happen to hear something?" Peter asked clueless.

"Well," started to say the faun as he paused a moment from taking his notes, perking his ears to notice more his surroundings "Now that you mention it sir, there seems to be a small rumpus in the room."

**_ooo_**

"You wouldn't dare! That would ruin everything!" Isabel said, forgetting to keep her voice down for both were quite engaged in their little argument.

"Then, please, my dear Isabel, enlighten me, what was on that potion you slipped in my brother´s breakfast?"

_**ooo**_

"It seems is coming from that cabinet," Peter said standing up and making his way to the piece of furniture.

**_ooo_**

"I won´t say," she said sternly.

"Then, if you´ll excuse me," Edmund said, his hand reaching for the cabinet´s door.

But just before Edmund could actually open the doors himself, the doors were opened wide making him and Isabel lose their balance and fall disgracefully to the floor, their limbs getting tangled in the way.

"What-what is the meaning of this?" asked the High King quite confused to see the two younger monarchs in his floor,.

"We…were just…"said Edmund stuttering, collecting himself quickly and getting off from over Isabel, feeling his cheeks burn red as he saw that his brother was getting the wrong impression from the present events.

"Edmund was helping me to test an experiment," said Isabel calmly, taking the offered hand of Mr. Tumnus to help her up.

"In my cabinet?" Peter asked in bewilderment. "Edmund?" he said turning to his brother to look for confirmation.

"Yes, an experiment, s-sorry if we disturbed you, we´ll just-…we´ll just leave," said Edmund taking Isabel by the arm as it seemed that she wouldn't be gone by herself, Edmund quickly walked to the door with her, not daring to look back at his brother.

"Testing an experiment? Is that what kids say now?" Peter asked his friend with a chuckle, once the two were left alone.

"Maybe it was indeed an experiment, as they said Sir," Mr. Tumnus said politely.

"Hmmm, yes… maybe indeed it was."

-000-

"Why did you dragged me out? I wanted to stay and see through the end of my experiment!" Isabel said indignantly as she paced through her laboratory.

"If you didn't realize, we were found, and by your subject none the less," Edmund said rolling his eyes.

"That was because you couldn't keep silent for a minute," she reproached.

"Me? You were the one to raise your voice first!" he pointed out.

"If instead of making so much questions, if you had just been more patient you could have seen for yourself what my drug would do, but now we both are going to miss it."

"A drug? I thought you said it was nothing that would harm him."

"And it won´t, the only effect that it has on the person that has ingested it, is to perceive small animals as if they were frightening creatures."

"Ohh…" said Edmund quietly, now that he knew the true nature of the potion, drug… whatever it was, he would have to admit it would have been an interesting sight to see the _Magnificent_ High King scared of a little mouse.

His thoughts were interrupted by a scream, it took him some moments to realized it belong to none other than Peter, even if it sounded some decibels higher than it should be.

Isabel walked silently to her desk and scribbled something down in a small piece of parchment and handed it back to him.

"What is this?" Edmund asked confused at her actions.

"It´s a banning slip, you can´t come in into my laboratory for a week."

"What?"

"I´ve just missed seeing King Peter screaming like a lady, because of you, so I´m exiling you for a week."

"You do realize that we both leave tomorrow to the southern villages, don't you?"

"Can I have that back?" she didn't waited for his reply; she took the parchment from his hands, crossed something out and scribbled something else and handed it back to him. "There, your exile period shall start once we are back."

Isabel pushed him out of the laboratory, he even heard her put the lock on behind him.

Edmund looked down to the parchment in his hands, she even had gone and sign it as if was an official royal document. He couldn't help but laugh, By Aslan! She could be such a child sometimes…

**A/N: This was a fun chapter to write, it´s longer than the previus two, that´s why it took me some more time to write it down, as well that I re-wrote the last bit, so I hope you liked it ^^ **

**Thanks to: _MCH,_ _WishUknewMyNam_e, and the guest for reviewing that´s what keeps me posting more chapters! so please let me know your thoughts about this one.  
**

**-CW**


	4. The Start of a Journey

**A/N: Sorry for the late update, Ive been busy with school thanks to everyone that reviwed last chapter, you guys are awsome, hope you like this one, even if it´s more of a filler chapter ^^ **

**Chapter 4: The Start of a Journey **

The sun was already blazing bright and warm over the morning sky once Edmund made his way to the front gates of Cair Paravel.

There was a lot of movement as soldiers and menservants hurried to finish loading the carts with sacks of wheat, rice, oats, corn, and barrels filled with ale and fresh water. Others were busy gathering the livestock: the hens were being transported in small wooden chicken crates and placed swiftly in the barrows while young boys were gathering the pigs and a few sheep with the help of sheepdogs.

Edmund looked around, as he walked by the side of captain Agion. He hadn't seen Isabel since yesterday´s morning when she had _banned _him; she had stayed in her premises the whole day not going out, not even to take her meals (which was nothing out of the ordinary for her) but it still annoyed him whenever she did so, giving such importance to such trivial matters…

"When are we going to be able to part?" The Just King inquired, he wanted to have an early start on their journey so that they could take the best advantage of the sunlight hours.

"We are just about ready, Your Majesty," said the centaur, overlooking the work of his men. "We are just finishing with the provisions and then only Queen Isabel´s luggage will be left to load."

As if on cue, Edmund caught sight of Isabel walking through the various men and carts with her horse which she was directing by its reins, she wasn't wearing one of her usual dresses; it was common and plain, boring if one must say, it was what was usually worn by a peasant´s daughter to go shopping to the village´s market.

"Morning, Edmund," she said slightly as she approached him.

"Morning," he said quietly "So, I see we are in speaking terms once more," he said with a small smile.

"Well, I never said I wasn't going to talk to you," she pointed out.

He chuckled "Pray, what was I expected to think when you lock yourself all day?"

"I was working, Edmund, with all due respect, not everything I do is specifically related with your person," she said offhandedly.

"I see….not everything, huh?" he said smiling, feeling oddly pleased with her choosing of words.

"Don't get so full of yourself, it doesn´t fits your title."

He bit his tongue not to laugh.

"Edmund!" he heard someone calling him, he turned around to see Lucy along with his older siblings approaching the gates to be able to see him off.

"I see that you are almost ready to part," commented Peter eyeing the work that was being done around him.

"Morning Isabel," the Valiant Queen said looking to the girl next to her brother "We were sorry not to see you during breakfast," she said with a small smile.

"I apologize, Queen Lucy, I was working and didn't acknowledge the hour."

"Well, that is quite understandable," the young Queen said with a smile, which Isabel felt the necessity to reciprocate.

"I brought you this for the journey," Lucy said handing Edmund a small batch of cookies for him to enjoy later.

"Thanks, Lu," Edmund said.

As the siblings started to talk between themselves, Isabel started to walk away slightly feeling she was crashing into a private family moment, also she could tell that both Peter and Susan were uncomfortable with her presence. None of the four noticed her slipping away and going back to the side of her horse.

"…please, take care," Susan was saying as she hugged her brother tightly "make sure you are wearing your socks when you sleep."

"¡Sue!" Edmund protested felling quite embarrassed.

"Promise, you will," she demanded.

"Fine…I will… "

Those made Suasan wear a pleased smile.

As Peter was saying his goodbyes they sighted the men carrying three large trunks which happened to be Isabel´s.

Edmund looked at the vast luggage that belonged to the Queen, the amount was simply superfluous, he would expect such of his older sister, maybe even from Lucy, but… Isabel? The girl that didn't minded to show herself at curt with a hair that resembled a wild animal living on top of her head?, it just didn't made sense to him.

The sound of glass breaking made the monarchs to turn their heads in the direction of where the sound had come from..

Grace and another of the maids that worked at the kitchen where standing there in disbelief, looking at the half open trunk which they had let slipped from their grip as they had been taking it to the cart.

Glass shards were sprawled all over the place, reflecting the sun rays in a beautiful display of colours, though none of the ones present were paying attention to that detail.

People moved to let the Queen who seemed to be in a kind of shock pass, Edmund could see the horror in her eyes to the sight in front of her, all of her vials, bickers, glassware, and flasks that had been in the trunk were shattered.

"Who did this?" she asked, the anger in her voice was quite palpable making most of the ones in the scene want to give one step back. "I won´t ask again, who did this?" she didn't shout, she never did, for she had not a need to, her firm stance and intense gaze were enough.

"W-we are…we are very sorry your highness," said Marianne as she and Grace bowed to the Queen, not daring to look at her in the eyes.

"What kind of inepts can't even carry a trunk without smashing its contents?" Isabel asked madly not caring if she was being too harsh, with the young women before her. "I don't believe that to be a hard job, so what´s your excuse?"

"Please, we—it wasn't our intention Your Majesty," Grace said, as her face flushed red due to embarrassment.

"Not your **intention**?" Isabel asked enraged, "Do you have any idea of the value those possessions had ? This is just inexcusable! I will see that both spend the rest of your lives in-" she was cut short of her statement as she felt a warm and rough hand on her shoulder, she turned around to see who had dared to touch her in such manner to find the Just King looking at her sternly saying without a word that he had had enough of her behavior.

It wasn't the first time that Edmund has seen her loose her temper in such way, he would have preferred not to intervene, for he didn't wanted to overshadow her authority, much less in front of the servants and maids. Then again he couldn't allow her to treat the maids in such way over a simple mistake, all of her vials and flasks could be easily replaced.

Isabel huffed in annoyance, but took a deep breath to calm herself, she knew that sometimes she had trouble keeping her temper in check and she could see in Edmund´s eyes that all she was doing was making a fool of herself in front of everyone.

She suddenly felt quite discomfited. Not that she would ever admit it.

"Just… clean everything up," she said sternly removing herself from Edmund´s grip and taking the reins of her horse once again as she walked away, proud with her head high, even if there was something that inclined her not to feel as such.

Grace and Marianne quickly started to clean everything with the help of other maids that had come to assist them.

Edmund started to walk away as well, joining his hands at his back.

"Did you see that?" Edmund heard one of the soldiers whisper to one of his mates. "She looked so intimidating; I thought she had gone mental, and please it was just glass, it wasn't some ancient vase… "

The second soldier nodded his head in agreement "I wonder why she´s Queen… she is nothing like the others, she wasn't present when they defeated the Witch, so I don't see why she has the right to rule."

The first soldier chuckled "Aye, I´ll tell you what I believe, they should just marry her off to a rich prince, that way she would be the trouble of another country."

Edmund cleared his throat to alert the soldiers of his presence, he had as well heard comments of the like about himself back in the days, and he knew how much it could sting a comment like that.

-You shall better go back to your work, gentlemen,- he advised as he passed.

Eventually everything got packed and ready to go and the party commenced their journey.

Edmund rode over Philip´s back for a while, taking in Isabel´s figure which was just some three meters in front of him , for the last hour they had been traveling in silence, which was something that he welcomed happily.

She seemed like a different person to him, carefree and jovial, it was like watching an animal going back to their natural habitat after a long time, and it was refreshing to him to see such level of freedom on his dear friend, it was a great contrast of how she had seemed when her flasks had been broken

He hurried Philip to trot a bit faster to catch up with her.

-You seem to be enjoying this,- he said casually as he and Philip trotted just side by side to Isabel and her horse.

-I am, it´s refreshing to be out of the castle.

-What happened? Back at the Cair, when your flask were broken, you usually don't get upset over those type of things- he asked, carefully not knowing how would she take his inquire.

Her face changed and became really quite, Edmund cursed under his breath wishing that he had kept quiet. It seemed that it was something that she didn't wanted to talk about.

They rode side by side in silence, until she gave signs of talking again.

-Those flasks where….they were a gift,- she said quietly – They were given to me by someone very dear to me.

Edmund looked at her quite surprised, it was the first time that he heard her talk or even imply of something of her life before arriving at Cair Paravel. He wanted to ask who this person was, but decided against it, he had the feeling that she would tell him, when she felt fine doing so.

-In that case, I'm sorry about the accident, where you able to save any pieces?

-No, unfortunately it was all shattered, and I deem necessary to thank you, you….you might have stopped me of making a greater fool of myself.

Edmund chuckled. – There is no doubt about it.

She blushed out of embarrassment but shoved him playfully.

-000-

Soon it was midday and they decided to rest to have some lunch and take shelter under the shade of the trees of the hottest hour of the day.

They dismounted their horses and noticed that many of the men were getting around of one of the carts.

Curious Edmund walked in that direction to find one of the chicken crates shattered by what seemed powerful teeth, and a trail of blood...


	5. Proper Ladies don t Hunt at Night

**A/N: I know it´s been a very long time since I updated, and I apologize deeply for that I´ve been having a lot of work at school and my laptop crashed and I lost all my files. I had to use the family computer which they only let me borrow to make my actual school work, and is untill now that I had managed to get a new laptop, so I´ll be able to update more frequently! for this is a fanfic I´m really enjoying to write and hope you are enjoying to read.**

**Thanks so much to the people that reviewed, I had actually given up on trying to write this again as I had lost all my outlines and writtings , but you made me take this protect back!**

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Chapter 5: Proper Ladies don´t Hunt at Night

Edmund made his way out of his tent, the sun had went down a couple of hours ago as they had made their camp in a small clearing not that far from the banks of River Rush, the red and gold tents with the sigil of the Golden Lion waving proudly from their banners.

The trees were dancing a slow dance that night, enjoying the full moon the night had provided, the men had built several fires along the camp to keep warm and prepare their stew or the non-talking rabbits they had cached earlier.

He walked, his boots making the dry leaves and sticks crunch below his weight. Sighting of wolves had been made on this part of the land, he was sure that some of them were the ones that had stolen some chickens from them.

Captain Oreius was seated along a group of centaurs and fauns, he sat in a log next to him, as a faun handed him a bowl of rabbit stew.

"Where is the Queen?" Edmund inquired after a few minutes as he had searched the fires for her, sometimes she would seat with Oreius and his centaurs asking a million and one questions about warfare and trying to get a better intake in learning how to read the stars as they did, or better said trying to get them to show her as the centaurs were very reserved with their knowledge of astrology, but would gladly share their knowledge of astronomy with the inquiring Queen.

Other nights she would join the fauns with their dancing trying to learn to play the flute or among the minotaurs and hear about the makeshift of weapons. Today she seemed to be seated with none.

"Her majesty went hunting," Oreius said with a husky voice "I insisted in going with her, but she said she wanted to go alone."

Edmund frowned, it was too dark to be hunting alone in the woods mostly with a pack of wolves around. It wasn´t proper for a woman to wander on her own at night, much less if she happened to be a Queen of Narnia, but then nothing in Isabel had ever been proper...

He finished his stew quickly "I´ll go and fetch her, " he said placing his hand over the pommel of his sword, Isabel was one prone to do reckless things when she was left on her own.

He took a torch with him to lighten his path, along with a trained hound to pick up her scent. The hound found a trail and began leading Edmund through the woods.

The branches moved with the sway of the night chilly breeze and owls screeched as he passed. He walked silently with the hound who had his nose perched to the floor sniffing. After a twenty minutes or so of walking he could tell they were getting close, for the dog was making exited whelps as the scent grew stronger, "Where is the Queen?" he asked the dog as he sniffed around a tree " Is she near?" the hound barked and sprinted off his tail high and proud as he followed her trail.

But then the hound seemed to pick another scent, he let out a frightened howl before running in the opposite direction. Making Edmund sheath his sword and continue walking in the direction the hound had been leading him before.

Isabel came into view, she had her bow at hand though it laid to her side as if she had given up shooting whatever was in front of her.

"Why should I?" he heard a male voice say, though it sounded more like a young boy, the tone was sarcastic, defiant, even priggish. Edmund walked a bit near, trying to keep himself to the shadows and not attract much attention, she didn't seemed to be in any immediate danger, and he didn't know if by reveling his presence he would actually place her in a perilous situation .

"And why not?" she replied quickly matching his tone, that made Edmund smirk, it was often the tone she used to banter with Susan.

"You are a human," the animal answered "You smell cleaner than the rest, are a bigger fool, which is proved by you talking to me right now when I could slit your throat easily, you might be a half-blood, but in the end you are still human and I don't like humans."

Isabel chuckled "touché!" he could clearly see her smirk in his mind. "true, I bath myself more regularly than the peasants, Queen Susan and the rest would agree with you that I´m a fool and would add a pest to that, and certainly you could slit my throat if you wanted, yet I'm still alive and breathing and talking to you, " she paused and Edmund had a feeling she was biting her lip, it was a bit scary to discover he knew her mannerisms so well that he could picture them easily by just hearing her tone of voice "well...it looks it takes a half blood to know one, the more reasons you should agree."

Edmund´s eyes widened at that, he had heard the animal call her a half-blood, he thought it was just trying to insult her or something, but she had not deny it, he was not even sure what her being a half-blood meant exactly.

The animal hadn't answer yet as it seemed to be pondering the matter whatever it was.

"Where are your siblings?" Isabel asked, walking just a step closer to the animal that she was still blocking from his view.

"Dead," the animal responded coldly.

"All of them?" she asked taking off her blue cloak with silver fastenings and the sigil of Aslan, and silently enveloped the animal in it, it seemed to be a small animal, for Isabel cradled it with ease in her arms.

"I still have one sister left..." he admitted.

Edmund walked out of the shadows then making his presence known.

Isabel noticed the light of his torch and turned around to meet him raising quickly a small dagger from her sheath, but slid it back to her belt when she noticed it was him.

Edmund then noticed that it was a wolf that laid in her arms, well a pup for its size.

She was looking intently at him, as if to trying to get out of his expression how long he had been there and if he had heard anything. Her eyes became solemn realizing he had heard enough, but didn´t lashed out at him as he had expected her.

"The talking wolves are still considerate traitors," Edmund reminded her as he walked closer "I´m afraid none of my sisters or Peter will be happy to see you back with a pet wolf," he said as he reached to pat the pup´s head ,but the pup growled and seethed his teeth as he approached, his golden eyes glowing in the dark, forcing him to retreat his hand.

"I´m no one's pet!" the pup exclaimed indignantly trying to free himself from Isabel´s arms.

"Calm down, you are injured," Isabel said increasing her grip on him till he calmed and stopped fussing in her arms. That´s when Edmund noticed the pup´s injuries, or properly noticed the wolf pup at all.

He had dark grey fur and even if he was a pup, no older than two or three months he had a good muscle build yet he stayed in the lean category which indicated he could be as agile as he was strong, his paws were light and soft, surely it would be difficult to hear him coming if he wanted to keep his presence unknown, and sharp white teeth that would eventually tear skin as easily as the sharpest sword in the Kingdom which just accented the obvious: the pup had the makings of a dangerous hunter. Edmund thought of those golden eyes shining in the darkness and it made the hairs of his back stand up in apprehension.

Yet he had many bites around his fur, made by big and strong teeth, they all had different states some more fresh than others, for some had dried blood over them while others fresh wet blood.

Isabel looked at him "I know what talking wolves are considered," she said calmly "it´s stupid to classify all of them as traitors, even this little fellow when he was born just a few moons past, and clearly innocent of such treason," the wolf made some protests at being called "little fellow" but Isabel and Edmund ignored them.

"Besides he isn´t exactly a wolf Edmund," she said, her voice inviting him to look closer "He´s a wolfdog, it were wolves who attacked him, and he won't be my pet, but rather my companion, and you will take his sister as yours," she said arranging her cloak around the pup in a better fashion, not seeming to mind it was getting dirty with mud and blood.

"What?" Edmund asked in shock, he might be okay with Isabel taking the pup back to the camp, but he hadn´t agreed to take one himself.

"Taking care of a wolfdog is too much responsibility and I don´t have time to take care of two, and you wouldn´t want to leave his sister behind, right? she´ll be frightened and alone wondering where her dear brother went to never return, I'm sure eventually the older wolves would kill her, you know wolves and dogs hate wolfdogs..."

Edmund sighted in defeat, how he could refuse her after that little speach? "Fine..." he said with a huff "Lead us to your sister"

The pup did as told, and directing them through the woods, sometimes he would get a bit disoriented by his change of view from walking in his paws and now being carried by the Queen, but Isabel would move him closer to a bark of a tree that he had marked and he would pick up his trail and show them the way.

They found the little she-wolf in a makeshift burrow, the pups had made between the thick roots of a big oak tree.

"Brother?" she called slightly daring to peer her head out of their small hideout as she had caught his familiar scent.

She was smaller than her brother, with a leaner body built for speed, her fur was more on the silver shade than the dark grey her brother possed, but her eyes were the same shade of gold, yet they didn´t made him feel anxious as her gaze was softer, she seemed to suffer very similar injuries to her brother and to lack the sharp tongue that characterized her brother, by her gaze, Edmund could tell he was more on the analitical side than the impulsive as the male pup clearly was.

"What´s your name?" Edmund asked as he crouched near the twisted roots that formed their home.

The she-wolf looked at her brother and he nodded, telling her it was okay to talk with the humans "I don´t have one," she admitted, her voice was soft, like a sweet song of the woods carried into the night.

Edmund and Isabel shared a surprised look, "How about you?, Do you have a name?" Isabel said looking at the pup enveloped in her cloak.

"I don´t have a name either," he admitted.

"What did your mother called you? she must have name you surely," Edmund said looking between the pups.

"Our mother named us death and embarrassment, she would have killed us herself if she hadn´t decided to leave the work for the rest of her kin," the male pup said with an annoyed huff.

"Brother..." the female pup said sadly, warning her brother he shouldn't talk of their mother in that way, even if she had indeed left them to their luck, ending in the death of the rest of their siblings, making her and him the sole survivors.

"Well I´m sure Isabel and I will manage to come up with names that will suit you both," he said in a composed voice, slowly approaching to touch her head, the pup backed off a bit scared but seeing he didn't intend to hurt her he moved closer and let him touch her, licking his fingers in the process.

He took of his cloak as well, his a darker shade of blue than Isabel´s and enveloped the pup in it.

Both Monarchs made their way back to the camp to find that the Captain and rest of their men had become restless to see they had not come back as quickly as they had thought.

"Your Majesties!" Oreius said as he approached them " We were starting to grow worried, "

Edmund smiled "Peace, Captain, The Queen and I just found some interesting companions in the woods" he said, noting that the male pup seemed pleased by his choice of words.

Oreius eyed the wolfdog pups and eyed them with resentment, it was clearly he didn´t approve of them but held his tongue and said nothing.

The rest of the men and soldiers had similar looks in their faces and one in the back where he couldn´t be seen by the King and Queen shouted "Traitors!" making the mass of people break in a ruffle of talk with more shouts of "Traitors!" "Witch followers!" "Justice!" and even some were shouting "Kill them!".

Edmund´s face turned serious at that, suddenly feeling very protective of the pups he and Isabel were caring in their arms , he turned to Isabel , she had fire in her eyes as she eyed all of the all of the accusing party, and if looks could kill certainly only him and Isabel would be left standing in the camp, perhaps the Captain as well.

He handed his pup to her "take them to my tent, I´ll see you in a moment," he said, his voice serene yet grim, assuring her he was going to take care of the party of opposers that was slowly becoming a mob.

She was about to argue but he interrupted her before she could mutter a single word "Just go," he said kissing her forehead with a quick peck that barely brushed her skin, she would have usually shove him, but she had her arms full with the two pups.

She strangely did as told for possibly the first time in her life without arguing, taking the pups to his tent, sparing a look back to him before disappearing between the mass of scarlet tents.

Edmund turned to look at his men, "It will be done as you ask, we´ll do justice if so happens this wolves are found guilty, pray, tell me of what misdeeds are they accused?"

"Treachery against the Mocharchs!" they all exclaimed as it was the most obvious thing.

Edmund remained impassive "What act of treachery have they realized? "

"They sided with the Witch!"

"These pups were born two moons past, and it has been six years since the White Witch was defeated, how can this two pups have had sided with someone that died before they were born?"

That silenced them.

"Seeing none can provide a solid proof of the wolves accused treachery I deem them innocent, they are now under the protection of Queen Isabel and myself, and I won't have any harm befall on them, that won't mean that you can´t come to me if you find any actual proof that would question this wolves innocence, this said, you may all go back to your activities, and to rest, we ride at first light tomorrow."

Nobody argued, and nobody raised any complains, they had seen their King had made justice, he hadn´t brushed their claims off, and had heard what they had to say and kept an open promise to actually take action if the pups proved to be a threat to the Kingdom.

He made his way to the tent, ignoring the eyes that were staring at his retreating back as he tried to processed what had happened that night.

He had gone into the woods hoping to return with Isabel arguing and bickering how he had no right to drag her back to the camp as he pleased, yet he had returned with a very silent Isabel, and two wolfdog pups he had now claimed as his in front of his men. Well not exactly as his, but rather theirs...

He grunted, how was that Isabel always managed to get him tangled in this kind of situations? he hadn't wanted a pet , now he had one, most likely two as surely Isabel would force him to look after the male one when she was at her laboratory.

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**A/n: Hope you liked this chapter, please share your thoughts and inquiries, English is not my mother tongue so feel free to point out mistakes or aspects in which I can improve, I know I need to work on my descriptions and I´m really working on that. Until next chapter, which is going to be posted soon as I´m already done with it and just need to look some things over to make sure is decent to be posted. **

**~ C.W**


	6. The Names Found in the Stars

**Chapter 6: The Names Found in the Stars**

Edmund entered his tent, all the oil lamps where on to give enough illumination.

Isabel was standing in front of his desk, as she was working on curing the pups injuries. She was using a flask of dragonwine to disinfect the several cuts and linen bandages to dress the wounds.

She was so concentrated she didn't notice him enter.

"Stay still!" Isabel said sounding a bit irritated as the male pup tried to escape her grasp and the wet rag with wine "I´ll just spill the whole flask of wine over you if you don´t stay still," she warned and that seemed to make the pup sit and let her clean his wounds.

"Be thankful, she is being gentle with you," Edmund said approaching them thinking of the last time Isabel had cleaned for him a small wound caused by sword practice with Peter. He had entered her laboratory with a small cut on his shoulder blade and had gone out with a cured shoulder but with a great sting on his other arm where she had pinched him to make his stay still.

"Shhh, don´t cry, your sister didn´t made this fuss," she said sternly.

The male pup just looked at him as if doubting his words but didn´t mutter a word biting his tongue to not make anymore sounds, Edmund could tell that he pup had a big pride, and hated been told his sister had been more brave about it than he was being.

Edmund looked at the female pup she was lying quietly at a side of her brother, she indeed looked peaceful and licked his fingers when he patted her head.

"There, done!" Isabel said happily finishing to place the last bandage in place. The male pup didn´t look happy with the result but it was clear he was feeling much better now. He made his way silently to his sister and the both pups were quickly asleep.

"I take you solve the problem with the little rebellion?" she asked washing her hands of the blood and wine in a small bowl with fresh water.

"Of course I did," he said with a small smile "you know how-" he started to say before she cut him short.

"How good you are placating people, yeah I know... me being the one you are always appeasing," she said with a small smile.

"Are you giving me a compliment?" Edmund asked with raised eyebrows, smirking.

She rolled her eyes and abstained herself from answering to his comment as she watched the slumbering pups.

There was something in her eyes he hadn´t seen before as she looked at the wolfdogs they had adopted, he had really been surprised to find she wanted to help an injured pup she found in the forest , benevolence wasn´t something she showed so spontaneously.

"Why?" Edmund asked, he didn't had to elaborate that he was referring as to why she had helped the pups, he knew she would understand, it was just one of the many questions swirling in his head after what happened in the woods, but he feared the other ones won't be as easy to ask or get an answer of them.

Isabel had her hands curled against her chest, she let out a sigh at his question.

"I´m I so cold hearted is a surprise I help someone?" she asked.

"No...I mean this..." he said stuttering, the last he wanted to do was offend her.

She laughed slightly "Ease up, I know what you meant , I´m not the first one that would step up to help a stranger..." she admitted looking at the pups "I suppose I just could relate, they don´t fit anywhere, they are feared by the dogs because they are half wolves and they are despised by wolves because they are half dogs, just like I don´t fit at the Cair or anywhere else really," she said calmly as she was talking about the weather or someone else instead of something so personal to her.

Edmund knew that depersonalization she made was just one of her ways of dealing with issues. He felt the needed to say something but he wasn´t the best at comforting people, much less girls, that was more Peter´s department, the reason people loved him so much. _Should he say she was wrong ? That she fit perfectly in the castle when he was to the only person she actually talked? _

He extended his hand to grab her shoulder to show some support but before he could do that she moved forward leaving him with his hand grasping air. She not even taking notice of what his intentions had been as she shoved a basket in his arms.

"I managed to get some baskets from the cooks, take care of your pup," she said and he then noticed that inside the basket was his pup curled over what suspiciously looked like one of his shirts...

"Is that my shirt?" he asked raising his eyebrows.

"well you didn´t expect me to use one of my dresses do you?" she asked with a smile "I took another one for my pup , I hope you don´t mind," she said patting his shoulder as she took her pup in the basket that had another of his shirts working as a mattress for the slumbering pup.

"Isabel!" he exclaimed indignantly after her "you just can´t take my belongings like that!"

"I´ll wash them tomorrow" she said with a small laugh, exiting his tent and going to her own that was just a few tents below.

"Fine..." he said furrowing his eyebrows, guessing that was about the best he would get from her.

He placed the basket with the female pup on the floor next to his bed as he took out his boots and shirt to get into bed as he rolled over in his cot he felt the the weight shift. He turned around and found his pup had climbed to the bed with him.

"Oh no...you have a basket with my shirt," he said grabbing her and placing her once more in the basket.

He accommodate his pillow trying to figure Isabel tonight, why was that always something she did or said left him always wondering just what was going throw her mind?...he would give a thousand golden coins just to find out...he would even let her win on a chess game if she would just answer all his questions.

He sighted and felt the weight on his cot shift again. The female pup had again climbed and make herself comfortable over his pillow and was looking at him with her golden eyes... he grumbled but didn´t tried to place her back in her basket and just turned around again to try and get some sleep.

Unfortunately her brother wasn´t as fortunate as she had been...when the male pup tried to climb to Isabel´s bed she had placed him back on the basket and when he had tried a second time she had done the same and even move the basket father away from her bed.

-000-

Peter looked over his work to see Susan enter his study with Lucy.

"Dear sisters to what I own the-" he started to salute but Susan wouldn't let him finish

"She has done it again!" Susan said clutching a parchment in her hands "I knew this would happen Peter, she always does this kind of things!"

"It´s really not that bad," Lucy added to try to appease the situation with a small smile, she really thought that Susan was overreacting over it.

"She has gotten herself a pet wolf!" she said showing him the rumpled parchment "and worst of it she has managed to get Ed to do the same."

Peter read the letter over, it was Edmund´s and Susan´s claims seemed to be legit enough. He rubbed his temples as Susan started to list all the reasons why he should ask Edmund to get rid of the _wolves_. _Cair Paravel wasn´t a place to keep that sort of pets, they would ruin the furniture, people were still afraid of wolves, it would made the servants uneasy, people might think that Edmund and Isabel had sided with the Witch´s followers which was something people could actually think given Edmund´s past and Isabel´s strange ways..._

Peter and Lucy heard their sister, knowing it wasn´t farfetched what she was thinking , especially her last point, Edmund´s treason wasn´t something any of them like to brought up, but it had happened and even all this years later it still had its repercussions.

"I think this is something we should talk over with them when they return," Peter told his sister.

"By then they will care about the beasts Peter, if we want them to get rid of them it has to be done now," Susan piped in.

"I´ll send a letter to Edmund then," Peter said seeing reason in Susan´s words.

"Thank you," Susan said kissing his cheek. "Are you still up for some shooting practice?" she asked him before leaving him to his work.

"Yeah, if I win remember you agreed to do my paper work!"

"I never loose in shooting practice, dear Peter," she said with a smile leaving him alone in his study.

-000-

The royal party had stopped to rest for the night , they had left River Rush behind them a couple of days ago and they were traveling along the Dancing Lawn and it will be at least another two days to cross the forest, then they had to reach the Archen River for the villages they were traveling to were close to Mount Pire, just at the borders of Archenland.

Isabel was again at the forest that night, this time however she was not alone, she and Edmund had escaped to a small clearing to practice swordplay as a Narnian Lady wasn´t supposed to held a sword, but a bow or dagger.

The wolfdog pups were running around the small clearing chasing each other as their fosters were engaging in a little battle.

"Dead!" Edmund called as he hit Isabel straight on the ribs with his wooden sword.

Isabel had a decided look on her face, sweat dripping from her face, she backed from him and assumed the pose he had showed her waiting for him to come at her again. This time she managed to dodge the hit on her ribs.

"Dead, Isabel," he said landing a blow directly at her heart. She moved around and tried to found an opening to inflict a blow of her own, but found none and as she tried to remember all the things Edmund had thought her, Edmund had his wooden sword against her neck.

"Very dead," he commented with a prideful smile.

Isabel panted trying to bring air to her lungs and then lashed at him and tackled Edmund down bringing him to the floor getting both of them muddy. "Dead," she said out of breath placing her wooden sword at his neck.

"No, you´re dead again," Edmund said showing her she had landed over his sword when she tackled him. Edmund could count with the fingers of one of his hands the times he had seen Isabel blush just like she was doing right now.

She silently removed herself from him, her cheeks still burning with a red flush. Edmund couldn't help but think that the colour was a placid change on her features.

They build a small fire to cook their dinner and they sat at a dead tree trunk while they waited for their food, Edmund took a drink from his water skin and handed it to her, she took a big gulp not used to so much physical activity.

"Well I can see why they don´t let women learn that," she said with a light chuckle trying to ignore the ache on her arms, as she took another gulp of water.

"We can stop if you-"

"I´m not giving up," she said sternly "I know I´m terrible at it, but I´m not giving up."

"I don´t understand, why do you want to learn anyways? tying to find new ways to irritate the council and my sister?"

"How did you know?" she said with sarcasm but grew quiet her long pause allowing them to hear the crickets chirping close to them "I don´t know really...you seem to enjoy it, so I thought I would give it a try..." she said looking at the fire.

Edmund was a bit surprised by her answer but allowed himself to smile.

"Does that means you actually like to spend time with me?" he asked nudging her playfully with his practice sword in the ribs.

She rubbed the sore spot " No, you just happen to be the less one of an idiot of the lot..." she looked at him and at seeing his grimace she laughed. "I´m kidding...I do find your company... agreeable," she said truthfully her cheeks seemed to be burning with a more fierce tint now but maybe it was just caused by the burning fire.

He liked the moments when they were alone, far apart of everyone else, and she would confide in him, even if they were simple things as to why she wanted to learn swordplay, or recognizing she didn't minded his company it was in moments like this when she let him see what laid below all the rebellious, obnoxious and short tempered front she kept all the time.

"Hey, don´t do that pup!" Isabel called as her male pup was pulling the strings of the water skin, trying to get her to play with him.

Isabel pulled with force as the pup was baring down to use his weight to pull resulting in the water getting spilled in the ground, Isabel let out a sigh letting the pup take the skin, it was empty now anyways.

"You know we have had this pups from some days now, we can´t keep calling them just pup..." Edmund said as the wolfdogs perked their ears at his words suddenly looking quite interested in the chatter of the humans.

The silence came over them again as they thought what to name their pups, Isabel placed her hands on the log as she looked up into the sky, she knew the Pevensies came from a different world, they didn´t remember much about it, but Edmund sometimes remembered silly stuff like the stars there had different names, he had showed her the names of the constellations he had known, though he couldn´t remember why he had learned them as neither Peter nor the girls had knowledge of them .

"Ed..." she said looking at the stars "That´s Canis Mayor, right?" she said pointing to the one she was referring to.

Edmund looked up "Yeah it is, you remembered," he said with a smile, he had just mention it once to her, and hadn´t been sure she was listening to him when he did.

"Mirzam," she said quietly " I´ll name you Mirzam," she said to her pup still looking at the constellation , and Edmund knew she was naming him after the star that formed the front left paw of the Greater Dog.

"The Announcer...he does makes sure to get his presence noted when he arrives," he said approvingly, the pup seemed to like his new name as he wagged his tail as Isabel patted his head, smiling at him.

He looked at the stars, liking the idea of naming the pups after the stars of the constellation of the dog, there was Sirius, Mirzam, Muliphein, Wezen, Furud... all were good for a male though and his was a female there was Aludra...but he didn´t thought it fitted, it sounded too sharp edged when his pup was of a gentle nature.

The female pup was silently looking up at him waiting to be named, then he caught sight of the star on the back leg of the Greater Dog.

"How about Adhara?" he asked.

"The Maiden.." Isabel said looking down at the pup "She sure acts as a little Lady..." the pup smiled accepting her new name.

Edmund and Isabel watched their pups play with a smile "I´m impressed you remember about Canis Mayor, I thought you were ignoring what I said when I told you about it," Edmund said looking her to see her reaction.

"Don´t be ridiculous I always pay attention to you," she said nonchalantly looking at the fire. "Tell me the story about the Greater Dog again, I want to make sure I remember all the facts," Isabel said looking up to findthe dog in the sky, as she silently heard Edmund tell the story of how the dog followed the hunter Orion.

They sat there, over the dead log , watching Mirzam and Adhara play, eating dinner, as Edmund shared his silly star stories with a girl just as silly for wanting to hear about them.

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**A/N: Thanks to: SparrowSnow, MCH, and a guest for reviewing last chapter. I´ll clarify that I call Edmund´s stories of the constellations **_silly_** as that is how they would look in a world were there are no Greeks and Romans to gave them a true meaning and importance, for all Isabel knows Edmund could be making up the stories himself -XD. As always, comments and critiques are welcome. **

**Thanks for Reading!**

**~C.W**


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